I love sharing with you the miracles and magic that I’ve experienced since stepping out in faith and moving to Maui 4 1/2 months ago. Living in paradise is truly a gift from God and I am so grateful, but I am very aware that along with that gift comes a “spiritual responsibility” to let go of anything that is no longer useful and serving my highest good. I truly believe I am letting go of old behaviors and beliefs and a transformation is taken place deep within my spirit. I am becoming the woman God created me to be – free, radiant, loving, strong, abundant, happy, joyful and in love with life.

lessons are happening quickly and I need to pay attention and listen to the messages I am receiving each day, whether it be through a song, a sign on a car, or from another person. One of the lessons I learned this week (again) was about changing my thinking. As Mother’s Day was approaching, I was anticipating feeling sad and lonely because I wouldn’t be spending the day with my family and I was also concerned about how they would feel, not having dinner and being able to celebrate together. Even though I had made the choice to follow my heart and move across the Pacific Ocean, this was my first Mother’s Day alone. I was missing my kids and grandkids and feeling very vulnerable, to the point of questioning myself “was this really God’s will for me to move to Maui?”

I realized that if I was “expecting” to feel lonely and sad, that is exactly how my day would unfold. If instead I visualized myself feeling joyful, happy and loved, that is what I would experience. Remember, we get what we expect. I quickly changed my thinking to “I’m open to receiving more of God’s love, Mother Mary’s love, my children’s love and my mother’s love. I visualized my children feeling my love from a distance as I would feel their love across the ocean. I was overjoyed and tears flowed down my cheeks when the flowers arrived on Saturday with a beautiful note that read “Happy Mother’s Day – We all love you, Brian, Timmy, Mary and Jimmy. I was delighted to talk to each one of my children and 2 grandsons during the day. I had a beautiful mother’s day “as I expected.”

In the morning, I went to Unity Church and cried tears of joy as I listened to the minister talk about his mother’s unconditional love and witnessed a mother and daughter singing a love song to one another. It was so touching as I thought about my own daughter Mary and how amazing she is. In the afternoon, I went to the ocean, listened to the waves crashing over the rocks, felt the sun and warm breeze on my face and floated down the ocean on my pink tube. I chatted with a woman in the ocean who told me she lived in Maui in the 70’s when she was young and carefree. I chuckled to myself and thought, “I’m old and carefree and living in Maui.” I asked God to see a turtle and lo and behold I not only saw one turtle but a mother and baby graced me with their presence. The mother turtle even posed for me on the rock (picture below). I was alone on Mother’s Day, but I didn’t feel alone. I felt peaceful and loved and one with God.

Even though my mother died over 40 years ago, I always miss her on Mother’s Day and long to feel her presence. Over the years, she has often communicated with me particularly when I hear the song “Honey” by Bobby Goldsboro playing on the radio because her name was “Honey.” As I drove to the dance on Saturday night, I prayed to either hear that song or see a sign or something with honey on it. I have a CD that I love and listen to every time that I get in the car, but I have never paid any attention to the words. When I began to play it and heard the words “Honey I love you and I don’t want your money” of course, I burst out laughing. “Honey” never ceases to amaze me how she shows up when I need her. I felt my mother’s love and knew she was with me.

It is so important to listen to the messages we receive and recently I had another powerful one that I want to share with you. I love it when my adult children share their wisdom with me and I am able to listen (I don’t always do that.) I have been sharing with you how I was feeling some anxiety about selling my house, moving to Hawaii full time, and working out the timing of it all. I sent an email to my son Tim and asked for his guidance on a decision I had to make. He immediately responded with his thoughts about what I needed to do. He could tell that my faith was wavering! At the end of the email he wrote, “Mom, you need to re-read your book!” Hmmm….I was a little taken back and thought that was interesting.

I hadn’t read my book from cover to cover in years. I decided I needed to listen to his wisdom and gave myself the gift of re-reading my book and it was exactly what I needed. I had forgotten how my house sold in 3 days 15 years ago, how God opened doors for buying a house that seemed impossible 30 years ago. I had forgotten how God provided when I asked for money for Bermuda and trusted it would come. It was all there, everything I needed for my faith to be renewed and strengthened. Story after story was a testament of God’s love, answered prayer and how I was provided for every step of the way.

So if you need your faith strengthened and you want to remember how God loves and provides for you, I suggest you purchase my book or if you have the book, re-read it and let the words of God’s love permeate your being, as they did mine.